SMARTeacher Inc. o/a Prodigy or Prodigy Game (“Prodigy”) is committed to ensuring equal access and participation of people with disabilities and to maintaining an accessible environment for persons with disabilities. We uphold and respect the requirements of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (“AODA”) and will ensure that we offer a safe and welcoming environment to all. We will use reasonable efforts to ensure that our policies, practices and procedures governing the provision of our services to persons with disabilities and the maintenance and operation of our facilities are consistent with the following principles:
- Services are provided in a way that respects the dignity and independence of persons with disabilities;
- Persons with disabilities are able to benefit from the same services, in the same place and in a similar way as other staff or visitors; and
- Persons with disabilities have opportunities equal to others to obtain, use and benefit from Prodigy’s services.
Definitions
- Any degree of physical disability, infirmity, malformation or disfigurement that is caused by bodily injury, birth defect or illness and, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, includes diabetes mellitus, epilepsy, a brain injury, any degree of paralysis, amputation, lack of physical coordination, blindness or visual impediment, deafness or hearing impediment, mutenness or speech impediment, or physical reliance on a guide dog or other animal or on a wheelchair or other remedial appliance or device;
- A condition of mental impairment or a developmental disability;
- A learning disability, or a dysfunction in one or more of the processes involved in understanding or using symbols or spoken language;
- A mental disorder;
- An injury or disability for which benefits were claimed or received under the insurance plan established under the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, 1997.
An animal accompanying a person with disabilities where it is readily apparent that the animal is used by the person for reasons relating to his or her disability or where the person provides a letter from a physician or nurse confirming that he or she requires the animal for reasons relating to the disability. This definition includes guide dogs used by the blind or visually impaired.
In relation to a person with disabilities, another person who accompanies him or her in order to help with communication, mobility, personal care or medical needs or with access to goods and services.
Purpose of this Policy
This policy sets out how Prodigy provides its services in a manner that respects the dignity, independence, integration and provides equal opportunity to persons with disabilities.
Training
Prodigy will train its employees, volunteers and other persons who may provide services on behalf of Prodigy on the requirements of the accessibility standards referred to in the Regulation and continue to provide training on the Human Rights Code as it pertains to persons with disabilities. This policy will also be shared with new hires as part of the on-boarding process. Prodigy’s training will be appropriate to the duties of the employees, volunteers and other persons.
Prodigy will provide training on an ongoing basis when changes are made to Prodigy policies, practices and procedures governing the provision of services to persons with disabilities and when changes are made to the accessibility policy.
Employment Standards
Prodigy will notify its employees and the public about the availability of accommodation for applicants with disabilities in its recruitment process.
Prodigy will notify job applicants, when they are individually selected to participate further in an assessment or selection process, that accommodations are available upon request in relation to the materials or processes to be used.
If a selected applicant requests an accommodation, Prodigy will consult with the applicant and provide, or arrange for the provision of, a suitable accommodation in a manner that takes into account the applicant’s accessibility needs due to disability.
When making offers of employment, Prodigy will notify the successful applicant of its policies for accommodating employees with disabilities.
Prodigy will continue to inform its employees of its policies (and any updates to those policies) used to support employees with disabilities, including policies on the provision of job accommodations that take into account an employee’s accessibility needs due to disability. This information will be provided to new employees as soon as is practicable after commencing employment.
Providing Services to Persons with Disabilities
Persons with disabilities may enter Prodigy’s premises with a support person and have access to the support person while on the premises. In certain circumstances, Prodigy may require a person with disabilities to be accompanied by a support person when on the premises, but only if a support person is necessary to protect the health and safety of the person with disabilities or the health and safety of others on the premises.
A person with disabilities may be accompanied by a guide dog or other service animal when on Prodigy’s premises. In the event that service animals are excluded by law from the premises or a part thereof (e.g. an area where food is being prepared), Prodigy will provide other resources or support to enable the person with disabilities to access the services offered by Prodigy.
Prodigy will notify the public in the event of a planned or unexpected disruption in the facilities or services used by persons with disabilities. This notice will include information about its anticipated duration, and a description of alternative facilities or services, if available. Notice will be posted on the doors of the device (i.e. elevator door), or communicated by such method as is reasonable in the circumstances.
Prodigy is committed to meeting the communication needs of persons with disabilities. When communicating with a person with a disability, individuals working on behalf of Prodigy will do so in a manner that takes into account the person’s disability and will make a reasonable effort to have the person with a disability understand both the content and intent of the communications. When asked and with consultation of persons with disabilities, we will provide information and communications materials in accessible formats or with communication supports. This includes publicly available information about our services and facilities, as well as publicly available emergency information.
Prodigy is also committed to ensuring that individuals with disabilities have the ability to access Prodigy’s feedback processes. Prodigy has completed a review of all existing feedback processes and considered the manner in which those processes can be made accessible upon request by individuals with disabilities. Individuals will be notified about the accessibility of feedback processes in accordance with AODA.
Prodigy will monitor the creation of any new Internet websites and content, including those Internet websites undergoing a significant refresh and, as applicable, will make those websites conform to WCAG 2.0 Level A. Prodigy also recognizes its obligation under AODA to ensure the accessibility of its Internet websites in accordance with WCAG 2.0 level AA (with certain exceptions) by January 1, 2021. On an ongoing basis, Prodigy will ensure a process is in place to confirm these obligations as any new content or sites are created or existing content is significantly refreshed and to meet 2021 obligations.
Prodigy welcomes any feedback regarding the methods that we use to provide services to persons with disabilities. Individuals may provide their feedback in person or in writing by e-mail to: Sarah-Jayne Lehtinen, Director of People Operations
The Director of People Operations will review and assess all feedback received with respect to Prodigy’s accessibility practices and policies. If the feedback is in the nature of a complaint, the comment(s) or allegation(s) will be investigated, unless they are made in bad faith, or are frivolous or vexatious. When investigating complaints, the staff who directly interacted with the complainant or those who would typically interact with the complainant, if any, will be asked to comment on the allegation(s) made in the complaint. After reviewing and investigating a complaint, the Director of People Operations will provide a written response to the individual who provided the feedback. Responses shall be provided within a reasonable amount of time and will depend on the complexity of the issues raised.
Modifications to this policy will not be made unless the impact of the changes on persons with disabilities has been considered. Any Prodigy policy that does not respect and promote the dignity and independence of persons with disabilities will be modified or removed.
If you have questions about his policy, or if its purpose is not understood, please contact the Director of People Operations. Prodigy welcomes suggestions for improving this policy and the manner in which we provide services to people with disabilities.
